Youth Choir JAM

November 22-23, 2019

OUR HISTORY

In January, 1994, a group of local church musicians saw the need for an area Youth Choir Festival; there were festivals for children, handbells and adults, but not yet for youth. Directors from Bon Air Baptist, Bon Air Presbyterian, Bon Air UMC, Mt. Pisgah UMC, Reveille UMC and Salisbury Presbyterian united to create the “formula” for what is now known as Youth Choir JAM! Our very first Director was Dr. Marvin Curtis, then a Professor of Music at Virginia State University, in Petersburg, VA. 185 youth from the Richmond metro area convened on that weekend before Thanksgiving, 1994 in the sanctuary of Bon Air UMC, and the enthusiasm for Youth Choir JAM was born! Over the years, we have had many prestigious Guest Directors, including Dr. Andre Thomas in the year 2000, when we had a festival high attendance of 335 youth in the choir! We draw youth from as far away as NC, Blacksburg, VA and northern VA, and from many local churches. Each year we are inspired by our Guest Directors, and of course, by our Youth Choir members! We have been planting these “musical seeds” for many years now, and the ultimate thrill is when these same youth choir members return as adults to sing in our adult choirs – it doesn’t get much better than that Soli Deo Gloria!